Police Corruptionhttp://stopthedrugwar.org/taxonomy/term/27
enThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/25/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A Georgia head narc gets popped for drunk driving, a Detroit cop is in trouble for ripping off &quot;Scarface&quot; memorabilia during a drug raid, a San Francisco sergeant heads to prison for ripping off drug dealers, and a couple of California prison guards go down. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left]In Detroit, <a href="http://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/wayne-county/2015/02/24/detroit-officer-suspended/23939129/" target="_blank">a Detroit Police Special Operations officer was arrested last Friday</a> on charges he stole a shadow box with a photograph of Al Pacino and memorabilia from the movie &quot;Scarface&quot; during a drug raid. The unnamed officer was part of a Special Operations team assigned to provide security for a team that raided the residence. He has been suspended.</p><p>In Thomasville, Georgia, <a href="http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Thomas-County-Narcotics-Commander-Arrested-293740201.html" target="_blank">the Thomas County narcotics division director was arrested Sunday night</a> for drunk driving. Commander Kevin Lee, a 20-year law enforcement veteran, is charged with DUI and failure to maintain lanes. He has been suspended without pay while the sheriff figures out what to do.</p><p>In San Francisco, <a href="http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2015/02/23/veteran-san-francisco-police-officer-sentenced-to-more-than-3-years-in-federal-prison/" target="_blank">a former San Francisco police sergeant was sentenced Monday</a> to 41 months in federal prison for his part in a scheme to rip-off property and thousands of dollars from suspected drug dealers. Ian Furminger had been convicted of four charges in the case, which involved a conspiracy with other officers to steal the items.</p><p>In Fresno, California, <a href="http://www.turnto23.com/news/local-news/former-correctional-officer-accused-of-trying-to-sneak-drugs-into-taft-fcf-sentenced" target="_blank">a former state prison guard was sentenced Tuesday</a> to 2 &frac12; years in prison for smuggling cash, alcohol, cell phones, and drugs into the Taft Correctional Institution. Ramon Cano, 28, was paid for his smuggling efforts, authorities said.</p><p>In Lancaster, California, <a href="http://www.scpr.org/news/2015/02/25/50041/guard-sentenced-for-smuggling-drugs-into-lancaster/" target="_blank">a former state prison guard was sentenced Wednesday</a> to four years in prison on charges he smuggled drugs and other contraband in to prisoners. Andre Pierre Scott had pleaded no contest to the charges. Authorities say he was a member of a Pasadena street gang and smuggled heroin, marijuana, cell phones, and other contraband. He had worked for the corrections department for a decade.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/25/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionThu, 26 Feb 2015 01:01:34 +0000psmith31328 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/18/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>An Arizona narc gets caught sleeping with the enemy, a Hawaii prison guard goes away for smuggling contraband to gang members, and an Illinois police dispatcher is in trouble for snatching pain pills. Just another week in the drug war. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In White Hall, Illinois, <a href="http://www.thetelegraph.com/news/news/151808494/Dispatcher-pleads-guilty-to-stealing-drugs" target="_blank">a White Hall police dispatcher pleaded guilty last Wednesday</a> to stealing prescription opiates from the White Hall Police Department evidence room. Amanda Morrow, 29, had been arrested in June along with another dispatcher and a Roodhouse police officer, who was charged with distributing a controlled substance. She was sentenced to two years&#39; probation and a $1350 fine.</p><p>In Phoenix, <a href="http://www.azfamily.com/news/Ex-Tempe-police-officer-sentenced-to-probation-291549611.html" target="_blank">a former Tempe undercover narcotics officer was sentenced last Wednesday</a> to probation after being caught having sex with a man who was the target of an undercover drug investigation and telling him he was being investigated. Jessica Dever-Jakusz was sentenced to 18 months&#39; probation. Dever-Jakusz was working undercover with other Tempe narcotics detectives targeting downtown restaurants and bars. Police said her revelations to the suspect scuttled a five-month investigation.</p><p>In Honolulu, <a href="http://thegardenisland.com/news/local/guard-gets-prison-for-distributing-drugs/article_7c41ea28-b40d-11e4-9d26-af4e102bb32a.html" target="_blank">a former state prison guard was sentenced last Friday</a> to nearly nine years in federal prison for delivering drugs to gang members inside the prison. Feso Malufau, 55, was found guilty of racketeering and conspiring to obtain and distribute meth into the Halawa Correctional Facility. Prosecutors said Malufau was paid thousands of dollars to smuggle meth, cigarettes, and other contraband to USO gang members.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/18/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 18 Feb 2015 23:30:45 +0000psmith31315 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/11/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A suburban Philly cop is under suspicion in a case of missing drug evidence, a former Philly cop who worked with a dealer to rip off other dealers is heading to prison, and so is a former Virginia cop and DEA task force member who used his position to gain sexual favors. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Upper Darby, Pennsylvania, <a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Drugs-Cash-Stolen-From-Upper-Darby-Police-Evidence-Room-Sources-291455381.html" target="_blank_">an unnamed police is under investigation</a> after drugs and cash went missing from evidence. The Delaware County DA&#39;s Office is looking into it.</p><p>In Philadelphia, <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20150208_Ex-cop_pleads_to_conspiring_with_drug_dealers.html" target="_blank_">a former Philadelphia police officer pleaded guilty last Friday</a> to conspiring with drug dealers to steal money and drugs from other dealers. Christopher Saravello, 37, admitted working with South Philly drug dealer Robert Nagy in committing between 10 and 20 robberies, as well as three more robberies with two other dealers. The dealers would set up a drug buy, then Saravello would show up in uniform and pretend to bust the deal. He allegedly scored at least $9,800 in cash from the scheme. He resigned from the force in 2012, when the department discovered he was strung out on pain pills. He&#39;s now looking at up to 120 years in federal prison.</p><p>In Roanoke, Virginia, <a href="http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/former-salem-virginia-police-officer-sentenced-30-months-prison-soliciting-sexual-favors" target="_blank_">a former Salem police officer and DEA task force member was sentenced Tuesday</a> to 2 &frac12; years in federal prison for soliciting and receiving sexual favors from defendants in return for agreeing to recommend leniency for them. Kevin Moore, 42, admitted that while he served as a DEA task force officer, he told a female meth defendant he could get her a lighter sentence if she performed a sex act on him. She did. He also admitted doing the same thing with two other female defendants in federal drug investigations dating back to 2009. In those cases, he admitted lying to the women, saying he had already convinced prosecutors not to charge them with crimes that would carry a heavy prison sentence. He had not.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/11/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsPolice CorruptionTask ForcesThu, 12 Feb 2015 00:15:32 +0000psmith31307 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/04/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>What a busy week! Jail guards get arrested all over the place, an Illinois narcotics unit commander gets busted for drunk driving, a Seattle cop gets investigated for stealing weed, a Texas cop gets popped for selling fake weed at his store, a dirty Philadelphia cop heads for prison, and more. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Seattle, <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2015/01/allegation-of-marijuana-theft-surfaces-against-spd-officer-at-center-of-golf-club-case/" target="_blank">a Seattle police officer was being investigated Saturday</a> for allegedly stealing marijuana from the evidence room to use with her lesbian lover. Officer Cynthia Whitlatch came under scrutiny after arresting an elderly black man for carrying a golf club that he used as a cane (and had done so for years). In the wake of publicity around that incident, a woman came forward to say she was Whitlatch&#39;s ex-girlfriend and that the two had smoked the marijuana at home after Whitlatch stole it in the spring of 2005.</p><p>In Raymondville, Texas, <a href="http://www.themonitor.com/news/local/edinburg-police-officer-arrested-in-raymondville-synthetic-pot-bust/article_ea255114-a752-11e4-86a7-07645511dc63.html" target="_blank">an Edinburg police officer was arrested last Monday</a> for selling synthetic marijuana at his Raymondville store. Officer Michael Anthony Moreno, 32, was arrested after officers found 21 pounds of the fake pot at his store. Police acted on a citizen&#39;s complaint that he was selling the stuff. He is charged with possession of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone and delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone. He has been suspended without pay.</p><p>In Suffolk, Virginia, <a href="http://wtkr.com/2015/01/28/suffolk-jail-officer-arrested-for-smuggling-pot-to-an-inmate/" target="_blank">a guard at the Western Tidewater Regional Jail was arrested last Thursday</a> after it was discovered that he was smuggling marijuana to an inmate. Michael Williams went down after authorities received a tip. He is charged with Accomodation/Distribution of Marijuana to an Inmate. He&#39;s out on $5,000 bond.</p><p>In Jackson, Mississippi, <a href="http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/01/29/another-hinds-co-detention-officer-arrested-for-contraband/22551783/" target="_blank">a Jackson Detention Center guard was arrested last Thursday</a> on charges he tried to smuggle contraband into the jail. Anthony Ware, 30, went down after arriving at work with &quot;a strong odor&quot; and was subsequently searched. Guards found marijuana, amphetamines and other controlled substances on him, as well as cigarettes and condoms. He is charged with possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute, possession of amphetamines and other controlled substances with the intent to distribute and the introduction of contraband into a correctional facility.</p><p>In Crown Point, Illinois, <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/post-tribune/news/ct-ptb-cop-charged-dui-st-0203-20150203-story.html" target="_blank">the head of the Lake County Sheriff&#39;s Department drug unit was arrested Sunday</a> after he struck two cars on Main Street and then left the scene. Commander David Britton, 46, was busted with a blood alcohol content of 0.24%, three times the legal limit. He was reportedly driving at a high rate of speed in snowy conditions when he attempted to pass a car, but instead struck it. He then hit the front side of another car waiting at a traffic light. He then drove away, but was arrested nearby.</p><p>In Plainfield, Indiana, <a href="http://fox59.com/2015/01/30/plainfield-corrections-officer-accused-of-smuggling-drugs-to-inmate/" target="_blank">a Plainfield jail guard was arrested Monday</a> on charges he smuggled drugs to an inmate. Ryan Daniels, 22, went down after investigators received a tip that he would be bringing heroin and tobacco into the jail. During an interview, he admitted smuggling drugs into the jail and produced a package he had taped between his legs. It contained marijuana, synthetic marijuana, and heroin. He is charged with trafficking with an inmate and dealing in a synthetic drug.</p><p>In Denver, <a href="http://www.9news.com/story/news/crime/2015/01/28/gloria-suazo-heroin-charges-walsenburg-officer/22481553/" target="_blank">a former Walsenburg police officer was sentenced last Wednesday</a> to five years in federal prison for helping hide her ex-husband&#39;s stash of cash and heroin after he was arrested by police in Pueblo. Gloria Suazo pleaded guilty to charges of aiding and abetting the possession with intent to distribute heroin. She still faces unrelated charges of selling crack cocaine in Pueblo.</p><p>In Philadelphia, <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20150205_Corrupt_narcotics_cop_gets_17-plus_years_in_prison.html" target="_blank">a former narcotics officer was sentenced last Wednesday</a> to more than 17 years in federal prison for stealing money and selling drugs in and out of uniform. Jonathan Garcia, 24, stole more than $4,000 from drug suspects, then filed fake paperwork to hide his activities. He and his partner, Sydemy Joanis, ripped off at least five drug dealers between April 2010 and June 2012. He was also selling heroin, including while he was on duty and sometimes right across the street from the 17th Police District Headquarters.</p><p>In Honolulu, <a href="http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/20150129_Honolulu_Coast_Guard_officer_convicted_sentenced_at_court_martial.html?id=290240731" target="_blank">a Coast Guard officer was convicted and sentenced last Thursday</a> to three years in the brig for a variety of drug and other offenses. Ensign Johnson Cox was found guilty of possession and distribution of multiple controlled substances, cruelty and maltreatment toward a subordinate, assault, absence without leave, failure to obey an order and dereliction of duty.</p><p>In San Diego, <a href="http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/Married-SDPD-Officers-Sentenced-in-Drug-Sales-Case-Bryce-Jennifer-Charpentier-290374101.html" target="_blank">two married San Diego police officers were sentenced last Friday</a> to three years in state prison after being convicted of drug and burglary charges. Bryce Charpentier, 32, and his wife Jennifer, 41, pleaded guilty to distributing drugs, stealing prescription medications from Jennifer&#39;s mother, and burglarizing a home while on duty.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/feb/04/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 04 Feb 2015 23:05:00 +0000psmith31296 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/28/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>NYPD narcs gone bad, a Utah drug task force agent gets busted, and a Colorado cop heads to federal prison. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In New York City, <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/nyc-crime/nypd-probes-narc-cops-marine-beatdown-article-1.2091287">two NYPD narcotics officers are being investigated</a> for allegedly assaulting a former Marine sergeant. The veteran, Omar Rendon, said in a lawsuit filed Monday that he was eating lunch and watching a movie on his phone while sitting in his vehicle when two plainclothes narcs rousted him, demanding he get out of his car. When he asked for their badges, they violently yanked him out of the car and punched him. He was then searched and handcuffed, but no charges were filed after nothing turned up.</p><p>In Ogden, Utah, <a href="http://www.sltrib.com/news/2107471-155/former-utah-narcotics-officer-charged-with" target="_blank_">a former Weber-Morgan Narcotics Strike Force agent was arrested last Friday</a> on charges he twice solicited a woman to hire a man to purchase oxycodone for him. Don Henry Johnson, 29, went down after he promised to pay the woman, but failed to come through. She then reported what happened to authorities. He is now charged with two counts of second-degree felony drug distribution, and is looking at up to 15 years on each count.</p><p>In Denver, <a href="http://www.chieftain.com/news/3274468-120/suazo-pueblo-police-judge" target="_blank_">a former Walsenburg police officer was sentenced last Friday</a> to five years in federal prison for helping her husband&#39;s heroin distribution business. Gloria Suazo, 32, had been convicted of conspiracy to possess heroin with the intent to distribute. Her husband got 10 years.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/28/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 28 Jan 2015 22:12:27 +0000psmith31289 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/21/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A veteran cop gets caught with his hands in the cookie jar, jail guards go wild, and two different ex-cops go to prison for growing marijuana. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left]In Prescott Valley, Arizona, <a href="http://www.azfamily.com/news/Prescott-Valley-police-commander-accused-of-taking-drugs-from-evidence-room-288977651.html" target="_blank">a Prescott Valley police commander resigned last Friday</a> as he was being investigated for stealing prescription drugs that had been turned in by the public. Commander Arthur Askew is accused of stealing pills from the drug storage fault in the evidence room, and police had video of him doing it. The department has asked local prosecutors to conduct a criminal review of the case.</p><p>In East Madison, Maine, <a href="https://www.centralmaine.com/2015/01/16/somerset-jail-guard-charged-with-supplying-drugs-to-inmates/" target="_blank">a Somerset County Jail guard was arrested last Friday</a> after an investigation into contraband at the jail. Alexender Jordon, 21, went down after a search warrant executed at his home turned up evidence he had supplied Suboxone strips to one inmate and tobacco products to two others. He is charged with trafficking Suboxone, a felony, and trafficking tobacco, a misdemeanor. At last report, Jordon was residing at his former place of employment.</p><p>In Michigan City, Indiana, <a href="http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/laporte/correctional-officer-charged-with-attempted-trafficking/article_9f5791f6-ae9f-5b" target="_blank">an Indiana state prison guard was arrested last Saturday</a> after he aroused suspicions during a routine shakedown as he arrived at work. Officer Gordon Dennis&#39;s car was then searched, and investigators found two cell phones, a cell phone watch, and a substance that appeared to be synthetic marijuana. He is charged with attempting to traffic with an offender. At last report, he was in the LaPorte County Jail.</p><p>In Lutz, Florida, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-guard-strippers-smuggled-booze-drugs-prison-28278654" target="_blank">a former Florida state prison guard was arrested Tuesday</a> on charges he allowed inmates on outside work crews to drink, use drugs, and have &quot;conjugal visits in the woods&quot; with prostitutes. Henry Blackwelder went down after one of his favored inmates escaped. Blackwelder didn&#39;t report the escape for three hours, but investigators still found empty cans of margarita drinks and malt liquor and empty packages of synthetic marijuana, as well as a blanket used for hook-ups. Blackwelder resigned after the escape, but it later emerged that he was using his work crews and a pair of strippers to smuggle the contraband into the prison. He now faces charges of official misconduct, unlawful compensation for official behavior and smuggling contraband into a state correctional facility. He was released on bail Wednesday.</p><p>In Buffalo, New York, <a href="http://www.buffalonews.com/city-region/police-courts/marijuana-growing-nets-prison-for-ex-city-cop-20150114" target="_blank">a former Buffalo police officer was sentenced last Wednesday</a> to five years in federal prison for running a marijuana-growing operation while he was an officer. Jorge Melendez oversaw a pot-growing operation of more than a thousand plants and sometimes visited it while in uniform. Prosecutors said he made about $80,000 in the two years the grow was in operation, and he agreed to forfeit a Chevy Suburban, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, a speedboat, and seven firearms. He had copped to one count of conspiracy to grow more than 99 marijuana plants.</p><p>In Hagatna, Guam, <a href="http://newsok.com/ex-guam-officer-sentenced-for-growing-marijuana/article/feed/784398" target="_blank">a former Guam police officer was sentenced last Thursday</a> to eight years in prison for growing marijuana while employed as a cop. Roy Pablo had been arrested as part of an investigation into a grow ring in November 2013 and was convicted on cultivation charges in October.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/21/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 21 Jan 2015 22:00:21 +0000psmith31279 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/14/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A Massachusetts prosecutor swaps info for pain pills, more jail guards get in trouble, a Georgia cop gets busted for slinging Ecstasy, a San Antonio cop get nailed for stealing cash and weed from a couple, and more. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Americus, Georgia, <a href="http://www.americustimesrecorder.com/news/local_news/correctional-officer-arrested-suspended-with-pay/article_15ab785e-98e9-11e4-b039-9bfa945291d4.html" target="_blank">a Sumter County jail guard was arrested January 2</a> for allegedly smuggling liquor, drugs, and weapons into the jail. Sgt. Anthony Bernard Walker, 49, is charged with violation of oath by public officer and giving inmates contraband without consent of the warden. He&#39;s now on paid suspension.</p><p>In Savannah, Georgia, <a href="http://savannahnow.com/news/2015-01-08/former-savannah-chatham-cop-indicted-drug-scheme" target="_blank">a former Savannah-Chatham police officer was arrested last Tuesday</a> on charges he was involved in an Ecstasy distribution ring. Derrick Andre Fullmer pleaded not guilty in federal court to conspiracy to possess and distribute Ecstasy. He is accused of being active in the ring while an officer in the department. He resigned in April while under investigation. At last report, he was being held on $25,000 bond. He&#39;s looking at up to 20 years in federal prison.</p><p>In Boston, <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2015/01/08/middlesex-asst-charged-with-leaking-confidential-info-exchange-for-drugs/lgJgBCweswLwzmvkoLksWJ/story.html" target="_blank">a Middlesex Assistant DA was arrested last Thursday</a> on charges he gave confidential information from his office in return for oxycodone. Stephen Gilpatric, 35, is accused of leaking a probation report, police reports, a photograph, and other identifying information about a man in exchange for the pills. He is also accused of accepting a $1500 bribe to help a woman get her son&#39;s commercial drivers&#39; license reinstated. He is charged with unlawfully communicating criminal offender record information, receiving unlawful compensation, and unlawful gratuity. Prosecutors said Gilpatric was spending hundreds of dollars a week on his pill habit at the time of the events in 2011.</p><p>In San Antonio, <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/police-texas-officer-stole-suspects-cash-drugs-rifle-28109404" target="_blank">a San Antonio police officer was arrested last Friday</a> on charges he stole marijuana, thousands of dollars, and a rifle from a couple during a disturbance call. Officer Konrad Chatys, 32, was dispatched to a reported disturbance involving a man and a woman on New Year&#39;s Eve, and the couple reported that he took the cash, gun, and drugs before releasing them. A search of Chatys&#39; home resulted in an arrest warrant for him. He is now on administrative leave.</p><p>In Lexington, Kentucky, <a href="http://www.lex18.com/story/27824720/blackburn-correction-officer-accused-of-bringing-marijuana-into-prison" target="_blank">a Blackburn County jail guard was arrested Monday</a> for allegedly bringing small amounts of marijuana into the Blackburn Correctional Complex. David Michael Bailey, 26, went down in a random search when officers found weed, cell phones, and two pieces of paper with phone numbers on them in his lunch box. He is charged with promoting contraband.</p><p>In Titusville, Florida, <a href="http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/local/2015/01/12/jury-police-officer-guilty-aiding-cocaine-deal-job/21660957/" target="_blank">a former Titusville police officer was convicted Wednesday</a> of taking a bribe to be a look-out for what he thought were drug traffickers. Richard Irizarry, 45, had been arrested in March after a DEA sting. He had befriended a man who turned out to be a DEA informant and had offered to go into business with him dealing drugs. He was convicted of possession with the intent to distribute more than one kilo of cocaine and using a cell phone to commit a drug trafficking offense. He&#39;s looking at up to 40 years in federal prison.</p><p>In Buffalo, New York, <a href="http://buffalo.twcnews.com/content/news/800054/former-sheriff-s-deputy-sentenced-for-smuggling-drugs/" target="_blank">a former Erie County sheriff&#39;s deputy was sentenced Tuesday</a> to three months in jail for smuggling an ounce of weed and a cell phone into a county detention facility in August. Charles Hunt, Jr., 49, also admitted smuggling drugs into the jail on two other occasions in exchange for cash. A second former deputy, Eric Stevens, 33, was also arrested at the same time on the same charges. His case goes to court next month.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/14/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsPolice CorruptionThu, 15 Jan 2015 02:27:33 +0000psmith31269 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/07/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A high-ranking DEA agent in Mexico is in trouble, so is a former North Carolina SBI narc, an Alabama police officer and a West Virginia jail guard. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Washington, DC<a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/jan/6/drug-agent-in-mexico-faces-federal-fraud-false-sta" target="_blank">, the DEA&#39;s resident agent in charge in northeastern Mexico was arraigned last month</a> on charges he took reimbursements for doing &quot;favors&quot; on behalf of unnamed Mexican nationals. Agent Leonardo Silva is accused of abusing his position by advising the State Department to cancel the US visa of a Mexican national at the behest of a friend. Silva allegedly falsely said the woman was a cocaine user and trafficker, and then bragged about it. He is also accused of taking nearly a hundred private plane trips that he didn&#39;t pay for or report, as well as taking a $3,000 payment for obtaining a job for the son of a US consulate worker. He is charged with fraud and making false statements.</p><p>In Charlotte, North Carolina, <a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/31/5417891/former-sbi-narcotics-agent-faces.html#.VKb24SvF9ic" target="_blank">a former State Bureau of Investigation narcotics agent was arrested early last month</a> on federal charges he was involved in a major cross-country marijuana trafficking conspiracy. Fredrick Tucker is accused of transporting more than a thousand of pounds of marijuana from California to North Carolina via South Dakota, where he now lives, in a conspiracy with his son Ryan. Tucker had resigned his SBI position &quot;while under investigation for improprieties.&quot; He is now charged with conspiracy to traffic more than 50 kilos of marijuana and money laundering. He&#39;s in jail in Charlotte pending a March court date.</p><p></p><p>In Birmingham, Alabama, <a href="http://whnt.com/2014/12/29/federal-indictment-huntsville-police-officer-conspired-to-make-cocaine-trafficking-charges-go-away/" target="_blank">a Huntsville police officer was arrested last Tuesday</a> on charges he conspired to make cocaine trafficking charges against a person go away. Officer Lewis Hall, 45, allegedly conspired with another person to pay another police officer $5,000 to claim a search he made that resulted in a drug trafficking arrest was unlawful. The officer who they hoped would help make the charges vanish instead turned them in. Hall faces charges of conspiracy, bribery, obstruction of justice, and making false statements to investigators. </p><p>In Exxon, West Virginia, <a href="http://www.wowktv.com/story/27737771/correctional-officer-charged-with-drug-offense" target="_blank">a Western Regional Jail guard was arrested last Wednesday</a> carrying 74 grams of marijuana. Preston Chase Thacker, 20, is charged with possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute. It&#39;s not clear whether the weed was destined for the jail or not.&nbsp;</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/07/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsDEANews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 07 Jan 2015 23:54:08 +0000psmith31263 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgChronicle AM: Seattle Pot Vapor Lounges, VA Pot Poll, Here Comes California, Iran Drug Executions, More (1/6/15)http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/06/chronicle_am_seattle_pot_vapor_l
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<p>Seattle&#39;s city attorney wants a place for marijuana users to congregate, California activists start moving toward 2016, Dr. David Nutt criticizes British Ecstasy policy, Iran starts the New Year with a bakers&#39; dozen drug executions, and more. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left caption:true]<strong>Marijuana Policy</strong></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.king5.com/story/news/local/seattle/2015/01/05/seattle-city-attorney-proposes-pot-vapor-lounge/21318233/" target="_blank">Seattle City Attorney Wants Marijuana Vapor Lounges</a></strong>. In <a href="http://seattletimes.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/pot/files/2015/01/MarijuanaMemoFinalPSH.pdf" target="_blank">a new memo</a> on marijuana policy, City Attorney Peter Holmes is calling for the legalization of pot vapor lounges in the city. &quot;Single family homeowners have a legal place to consume marijuana; others however, such as out-of-town visitors, the homeless, and renters and condominium owners whose buildings do not permit marijuana use, have fewer options,&quot; he noted in the memo. &quot;You can enforce that law much better if you, at the same time, provide an outlet for that demand,&quot; Holmes said. The lounges would be open only to those 21 and over, require customers to bring their own weed, and would only allow vaping, not smoking. Such a move would require the approval of the city council and the city health department.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.mpp.org/states/virginia/VirginiaResults.pdf" target="_blank">Virginia Poll Finds Majority Support for Decriminalization, Medical Marijuana</a></strong>. A Public Policy Polling survey commissioned by the <a href="http://www.mpp.org/" target="_blank">Marijuana Policy Project</a> finds that 74% of respondents supported allowing medical marijuana and 60% supported decriminalization. The poll also had a near-majority for legalization, with 49% in favor and 44% opposed.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.eastbayexpress.com/LegalizationNation/archives/2015/01/06/california-legalization-activists-announce-first-public-meetings-of-2015" target="_blank">California Activists Set First Meeting for 2016 Initiative</a></strong>. The California <a href="http://www.cannabispolicyreform.org/" target="_blank">Coalition for Cannabis Policy Reform</a> will kick off the effort to legalize pot in the state in 2016 with a meeting in Oakland this Friday. The meeting will be a seminar examining lessons from the successful initiative efforts in Oregon, Washington, and the District of Columbia, as well as the roll-out of marijuana commerce in Colorado. Click on the link for meeting details. &nbsp;</p><p><strong>Medical Marijuana</strong></p><p><strong><a href="http://whotv.com/2015/01/05/pharmacy-board-votes-to-give-cannabis-oil-schedule-ii-status" target="_blank">Iowa Pharmacy Board Votes to Reschedule CBD, But Not Marijuana</a></strong>. The state Board of Pharmacy voted Monday to move cannabidiol (CBD) from Schedule I to Schedule II, but not marijuana. The board was acting on a petition from long-time activist Carl Olsen, who sought to have the whole plant rescheduled. But the board wasn&#39;t ready to do that. Olsen says while it isn&#39;t what he was asking for, it is a step in the right direction.</p><p><strong>Sentencing</strong></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.theweedblog.com/defelonize-drug-possession-washington-public-hearing" target="_blank">Washington State Defelonization Bill to Get Hearing</a></strong>. A bill that would make simple drug possession a misdemeanor instead of a felony will get a public hearing in the House Public Safety Committee on January 16. The bill is <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/BILLinfo/summary.aspx?bill=1024&amp;year=2015" target="_blank">House Bill 1024</a>, introduced by Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo), and is estimated to save the state millions in incarceration costs each year if passed. Fourteen other states have defelonized drug possession, with California being the most recent. Voters there approved a defelonization initiative in November.</p><p><strong>Law Enforcement</strong></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/americas-dirtiest-cops-cash-cocaine-texas-hidalgo-county-20150105" target="_blank">Rolling Stone Exposé on Crooked Texas Border Drug Task Force</a></strong>. Rolling Stone has published an in-depth look at a South Texas drug task force, the infamous &quot;Panama Unit&quot; of the Hidalgo County Sheriff&#39;s Office and the Mission Police Department. The extent of the thievery and corruption is mind-blowing. Well worth the read.</p><p><strong>International</strong></p><p><strong><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jan/05/superman-ecstasy-pill-death-result-uk-illogical-punitive-drugs-policy" target="_blank">&quot;Illogical and Punitive Drug Policy&quot; to Blame for British Ecstasy Deaths, Prominent Critic Says</a></strong>. Dr. David Nutt, the former head of the Advisory Commission on the Misuse of Drugs who was fired for failing to toe the government&#39;s hard line of drug policy, has blamed that hard-line policy for the drug overdose deaths of four men in the past few days. The men thought they were taking Ecstasy, but a British government crackdown on the drug has led to it being substituted by a more lethal substance, PMA. That&#39;s the &quot;illogical and punitive drug policy,&quot; Nutt was referencing. &quot;The emergence of the more toxic PMA following the so-called &lsquo;success&rsquo; in reducing MDMA production is just one of many examples of how prohibition of one drug leads to greater harm from an alternative that is developed to overcome the block,&quot; he added.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/jan/06/mexican-army-kills-9-in-michoacan-confrontation" target="_blank">Mexican Army Kills Nine Civilians in Cartel-Plagued Michoacan</a></strong>. Nine civilians have been killed by Mexican soldiers in the town of Apatzigan, Michoacan, after the army tried to take control of city hall, which had been held for days by armed civilians. It&#39;s not clear who exactly was involved, but the western Mexican state has been plagued for years by violent drug trafficking organizations, and more recently, by armed vigilantes fighting the cartels.</p><p><strong><a href="http://www.handsoffcain.info/news/index.php?iddocumento=19300077" target="_blank">Iran Greets New Year By Hanging 13 Drug Offenders</a></strong>. New Year&#39;s Day saw 13 drug offenders hanged in Iranian prisons, including four women. All had been convicted of drug trafficking. Iran hanged hundreds of drug traffickers last year, and it looks like it&#39;s off to a quick start this year, too.&nbsp;</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2015/jan/06/chronicle_am_seattle_pot_vapor_l#comments2016BorderBudgets/Taxes/EconomicsCrime & ViolenceDeath PenaltyDecriminalizationDefelonizationEcstasyMarijuana -- Personal UseMarijuana LegalizationMedical MarijuanaNews BriefPolice CorruptionPollingPopularization of Worse DrugsPublic OpinionState & Local Executive BranchesTask ForcesTue, 06 Jan 2015 23:28:19 +0000psmith31259 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/30/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>It looks like even corrupt cops take a holiday break. This week, we have only a pair of jail guards in trouble, and a Tulsa cop heading to prison for dirty dealing. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left]In Danville, Indiana, <a href="http://www.commercial-news.com/news/local_news/county-corrections-officer-arrested/article_2dc8b8f5-2261-5843-b404-0c1c5ac406c7.html" target="_blank">a Vermillion County jail guard was arrested last Tuesday</a> on charges he smuggled drugs into the jail. Jonathan &quot;Doug&quot; Maloney, 42, is accused of receiving marijuana from the girlfriend of a prisoner and delivering it to the prisoner in return for payment. He went down after supervisors noticed &quot;suspicious activity&quot; and began investigating. He is charged with official misconduct and bringing contraband into a penal institution. He no longer has a job at the county jail, either.</p><p>In Crandon, Wisconsin, <a href="http://fox11online.com/2014/12/30/forest-county-correction-officer-charged" target="_blank">a Forest County jail guard was arrested last Friday</a> on allegations she leaked the names of confidential informants to prisoners. Jeanie Pitts, 59, has been hit with nine criminal counts, including five counts of misconduct in office. Pitts&#39; husband and another jail guard were also taken into custody, but no charges have been filed against them yet. A search warrant served on Pitts in October yielded marijuana, pot plants, cocaine, computers, firearms, ammunition, thousands of dollars in cash, and other items, all of which were seized by authorities.</p><p>In Tulsa, Oklahoma, <a href="http://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/former-tulsa-police-officer-sentenced-for-five-counts-two-counts-of-accepting-bribes" target="_blank">a former Tulsa police officer was sentenced Monday</a> to four years in prison for using police databases to steal money and help a cocaine distribution ring. Tyrone Jenkins, 40, was sentenced on two counts of bribery, two counts of computer crime, and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/30/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsPolice CorruptionTue, 30 Dec 2014 23:27:56 +0000psmith31253 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/23/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>Ho, ho, ho. We have a Christmas stocking full of corrupt cops this week. Without further ado, let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left]In Brownsville, Texas, <a href="http://houston.cbslocal.com/2014/12/16/border-patrol-officer-charged-with-bribery/" target="_blank">a Customs and Border Protection officer was arrested last Monday</a> on charges he let vehicles full of drugs pass through his port of entry inspection station. Jose Luis Zavala went down after a van in his lane was randomly chosen for inspection and 3,000 pounds of pot were found inside. He is charged with bribery of a public official and conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute marijuana.</p><p>In Atlantic City, New Jersey, <a href="http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/breaking/corrections-officer-accused-of-smuggling-drugs-vitamins/article_7628aeee-878d-11e4-8eed-6fba561babe1.htm" target="_blank">a Cumberland County jail guard was arrested last Friday</a> for allegedly smuggling marijuana, tobacco, and vitamin supplements to inmates. Joshua Minguela is accused of smuggling goods between August 2013 and January 2014. He is charged with official misconduct, conspiracy, and drug charges.</p><p>In Derry Township, Pennsylvania, <a href="http://fox43.com/2014/12/22/derry-township-police-officer-accused-of-stealing-prescription-drugs-from-evidence-room" target="_blank">a former Derry Township police officer was arrested Monday</a> for stealing prescription drugs from the evidence room. Sgt. Brian Romberger, who was primary evidence custodian at the time, went down after police discovered pills missing from evidence. During an investigation, authorities discovered that Romberger was falling asleep on the job and having other difficulties functioning, and he then admitted he took and consumed the missing pills -- at least 375 of them, including Percocet, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Xanax, Opana, and more. He is charged with theft, tampering with physical evidence, possession of a controlled substance and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.</p><p>In Birmingham, Alabama, <a href="http://www.dailyjournal.net/view/story/06cb263fb0aa4ee59d901083063ad5db/AL--Alabama-Deputy-Meth" target="_blank">a former sheriff&#39;s deputy pleaded guilty Monday</a> to pressuring a woman to cook and sell meth for him. Grady Keith Concord, 42, admitted approaching the woman and asking her to make the drug for him. He also supplied her with pseudoephedrine, a key precursor ingredient. He denied threatening to arrest her if she didn&#39;t cook for him, but conceded his position as a deputy may have influenced her. He copped to extortion under color of official right, manufacturing methamphetamine and manufacturing and distributing methamphetamine on premises where children are present. No word on sentencing yet.</p><p>In Tulsa, Oklahoma, <a href="http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/crimewatch/former-tulsa-police-officer-sentenced-in-bribery-case/article_5ba7fe13-a767-562f-97ba-4d278fe79335.html" target="_blank">a former Tulsa police officer was sentenced last Wednesday</a> to four years in prison for taking bribes to use police databases to provide information to an informant who used the information to burglarize buildings where large amounts of money was suspected to be. Tyrone Jenkins had pleaded guilty to receiving bribes, two counts of computer crime, and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The cocaine charge derived from Jenkins&#39;s setting up a deal between the informant and another man.</p><p>In Albany, New York, <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/region-state/former-ny-sheriff-s-deputy-sentenced-for-cocaine-1.9730043" target="_blank">a former Saratoga County sheriff&#39;s deputy was sentenced last Thursday</a> to five years in federal prison for taking money to drive a drug dealer to Warren County to sell cocaine. Charles Fuller had been arrested last spring, and his defense blamed his behavior on gambling debts and alcohol use. He copped to a single count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He went directly from court to prison.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/23/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionTue, 23 Dec 2014 23:33:29 +0000psmith31243 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/17/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>The beat goes on. A Texas drug dog officer snorts the training dope, a pair of married Indiana deputies get wrapped up in the new synthetics, and a Georgia judge goes down for trying to set up a woman who accused him of making advances on her. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Grapevine, Texas, <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/news/local/crime/article4422321.html" target="_blank">a Grapevine Police K-9 officer was arrested last Monday</a> for allegedly stealing a case of training drugs and consuming some of them. Senior Officer Danny Macchio, 49, reported to Fort Worth police in October that someone had broken into his vehicle at his residence and stolen the drugs, which included, heroin, cocaine, meth, and ecstasy, but Grapevine police developed suspicions he had &quot;mishandled&quot; the drugs and the theft report. Macchio fled on the day he was supposed to undergo a drug test as part of the investigation, but was found in the Panhandle and returned home by Grapevine police. He confessed that he had taken the drugs and used some, and he returned the rest He was suspended with pay on October 24. Now he is charged with abuse of official capacity -- misuse of government property, a state jail felony.</p><p>In Indianapolis, <a href="http://wishtv.com/2014/12/11/ex-deputies-arrested-tied-to-large-drug-bust" target="_blank">two former Hendricks County sheriff&#39;s deputies were arrested last Thursday</a> on charges related to a synthetic drugs sales ring. Jason Woods, 44, and Teresa Woods, 34, had been suspended from the sheriff&#39;s office in October 2013 after a marked sheriff&#39;s vehicle linked to them had been spotted at locations under investigation. That same day, the couple dropped off a safe with Teresa Woods&#39; mother -- who promptly contacted authorities. They searched it, finding $88,000 and 100 grams of synthetic drugs. Investigators also found evidence the couple had written checks to a Canadian company that sells synthetic drug powders. Although state police said it was one of the biggest synthetic drug operations in the state, the couple have so far been charged only with misdemeanor possession of synthetic drugs.</p><p>In Atlanta, <a href="http://www.ajc.com/news/news/local/ex-judge-convicted-of-planting-drugs-on-woman/njQwd" target="_blank">a former chief judge of the Murray County Magistrate&#39;s Court was found guilty last Thursday</a> of conspiring to plant meth on a woman who had publicly accused him of making advances on her in his chambers. Former Judge Bryant Cochran plotted with a Murray County sheriff&#39;s deputy and a local meth offender to plant the drug in her vehicle, then have her pulled over and arrested. He was convicted in federal court of witness tampering, conspiring to distribute a controlled substance and a federal civil rights charge that accused him of sexually assaulting a court employee. He faces a February 20 sentencing date.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/17/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 17 Dec 2014 06:40:36 +0000psmith31232 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/10/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>NYPD officers are involved in two out of three of our corrupt cop reports this week, and a pair of thieving San Francisco cops round out the rogues&#39; gallery. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Sunrise City, Florida, <a href="http://nypost.com/2014/12/03/former-cop-of-the-year-busted-on-coke-trafficking-charges/" target="_blank">an NYPD officer was arrested last Tuesday</a> while trying to buy 10 pounds of cocaine. Officer Philip LeRoy, a former Queens precinct &quot;Cop of the Year,&quot; now faces charges of felony weapon possession, cocaine trafficking, and conspiracy to traffic cocaine. <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/instituteforjustice/2013/10/30/florida-cops-made-millions-dealing-cocaine-the-latest-asset-forfeiture-outrage/" target="_blank">Sunrise is notorious for its asset forfeiture-driven drug stings</a>. At last report, Le Roy was still in jail awaiting extradition.</p><p>In New York City, <a href="http://www.news10.com/story/27561586/nyc-police-officer-charged-with-aiding-drug-dealer" target="_blank">an NYPD officer was arrested last Friday</a> for driving a drug dealer around, warning a cocaine dealer that police action was coming, and offering to arrange a heroin deal. Officer Merlin Alston allegedly told one cocaine supplier to &quot;ghost&quot; and &quot;be gone&quot; from a corner when police were coming, helped another dealer deliver cocaine, and offered to help the latter deal score some heroin. He is charged with official misconduct and conspiracy.</p><p>In San Francisco, <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/crime/article/Two-San-Francisco-police-officers-convicted-in-5937963.php" target="_blank">two San Francisco police officers were convicted last Friday</a> of stealing thousands of dollars worth of cash and other property from suspected drug dealers. Officer Edmond Robles and Sgt. Ian Furminger were found guilty by a federal jury of five and four counts respectively. There could be more guilty verdicts or plea bargains to come in this scandal, which began Public Defender Jeff Adachi released surveillance videos showing officers walking out of cheap SRO hotels with bags of residents&#39; possessions.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/10/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 10 Dec 2014 22:58:03 +0000psmith31222 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/03/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>A Houston cop gets caught transferring cocaine, a New York narc gets nailed for tipping off his neighborhood buddies about looming drug raids, and another prison guard goes down for contraband. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:left]In Houston, <a href="http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/hpd-officer-indicted-in-cocaine-delivery-case/article_4dfafb91-96b9-5f95-a3fc-36adc1b683b7.htm" target="_blank">a Houston police officer was indicted November 20</a> for transporting cocaine. Officer Jasmine Renee Bonner, 26, had been arrested in August after a &quot;lengthy ongoing investigation&quot; led by DEA and ATF officers when she was observed removing cocaine from the trunk of her car and giving it to a coconspirator. Both were then pulled over separately in traffic stops. She is charged with first-degree felony possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver, and is being held in the Montgomery County Jail on a one million dollar bond.</p><p>In Troy, New York, <a href="http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Troy-cop-indicted-in-drug-dealer-tip-off-case-5909079.php" target="_blank">a Troy police officer was indicted last Friday</a> on charges he tipped off a friend about an impending drug raid. Patrolman Brian Gross had been arrested in July, and the arrest and the indictment were part of a five-month investigation by the attorney general&#39;s office and the State Police. Gross was assigned to the Community Narcotics Enforcement Team, &quot;and thus had knowledge of and access to investigative intelligence, suspect information and details concerning the timing and location of search warrants,&quot; according to an attorney general&#39;s office. The investigation started after police raids aimed at known drug houses turned up no activity. The houses were all in Gross&#39;s neighborhood. He was indicted for tampering with physical evidence, a felony, and misdemeanor counts of divulging an eavesdropping warrant, two counts of official misconduct and a count of obstructing governmental administration.</p><p>In Orlando, Florida, <a href="http://www.correctionsone.com/staff-misconduct/articles/7893030-Ex-corrections-officer-sentenced-to-18-months-for-accepting-bribes/" target="_blank">a former prison guard was sentenced last Monday</a> to 18 months in prison for smuggling marijuana and tobacco into the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex near Leesburg. Jason Epstein, 29, copped to receiving hundreds of dollars in payments in return for smuggling in goodies &quot;at least three or four times.&quot; He had pleaded guilty to one count of bribery.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/dec/03/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsNews BriefPolice CorruptionWed, 03 Dec 2014 07:04:01 +0000psmith31205 at http://stopthedrugwar.orgThis Week's Corrupt Cops Storieshttp://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/nov/26/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories
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<p>It never ends. More jail guards with contraband issues, another cop with a serious pill problem. Let&#39;s get to it:</p><p>[image:1 align:right]In Tabor City, North Carolina, <a href="http://www.fayobserver.com/news/local/tabor-city-officer-accused-of-giving-drugs-to-inmate/article_74d52d84-a035-51f1-a1ac-c6b5d23e3643.html" target="_blank">a Tabor Correctional Institute jail guard was arrested last Friday</a> after being recorded giving doses of Xanax to an inmate. Sabrina Wallace, 42, went down after the inmate agreed to cooperate with investigators. She is charged with providing drugs to an inmate and is out on an unsecured bond.</p><p>In Kerrville, Texas, <a href="http://www.ksat.com/content/pns/ksat/news/2014/11/25/corrections-officer-arrested-on-organized-crime-charges.html" target="_blank">a Kerr County jail guard was arrested Sunday</a> on charges he smuggled drugs and other contraband into the jail. Carl Birdwell, 22, went down after an investigation that began in December when administrators noticed &quot;suspicious activity&quot; in and outside of the jail. He was one of 11 people indicted in the contraband scheme. He allegedly smuggled alcohol, tobacco, pills, a cell phone, and more to inmates. He is charged with organized crime offenses.</p><p>In Knoxville, Tennessee, <a href="http://www.local8now.com/news/headlines/Former-Newport-officer-sentenced-as-part-of-federal-drug-case-283731921.html" target="_blank">a former Newport Police detective was sentenced Monday</a> to 7 &frac12; years in federal prison for peddling pain pills. James Finley Holt, 59, went down after a snitch agreed to help federal law enforcement, telling the feds he had sold him stolen items, which Holt then sold at a convenience store he owned. Further investigation revealed that Holt was buying and selling hydrocodone and Xanax, sometimes in his Newport police cruiser. When agents executed search warrants, they found cocaine, pills, and a bottle of testosterone in his locker, nine different prescription pill bottles, loose pills, and a grinder in a safe under his desk, more pills and pill bottles in his cruiser, and a sawed off shotgun at his home. He was convicted of federal drug distribution charges.</p> </div>
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http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/2014/nov/26/weeks_corrupt_cops_stories#commentsPolice CorruptionThu, 27 Nov 2014 01:05:51 +0000psmith31200 at http://stopthedrugwar.org